Debates of 20 Jul 2006

MR. SPEAKER
PRAYERS 12:45 p.m.
CORRECTION OF VOTES 12:45 p.m.
AND PROCEEDINGS AND 12:45 p.m.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Order! Order! Hon. Members, correction of Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, 19th July, 2006. Pages 1…21 --
Mr. Abu-Bakar Saddique Boniface 12:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, page 21, my name is “Abu Bakar” not “Abubakari”. There is no “i”; it is “Abu-Bakar”.
Mr. Speaker 12:45 p.m.
Thank you for that, hon.
Minister. Page 22 --
Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo 12:45 p.m.
Mr.
Speaker, on page 22, under Finance Committee, I am listed as having presided for the 2006 financial year. I do not think there was anything of the sort. I believe, obviously, there must be some mistake.
Mr. Speaker 12:45 p.m.
You presided at the Committee? All right, pages 24 . . . 25. Hon. Members, we do not have any Official Report. We move on to item 3 -- Statements. Statement by the Deputy Minority Leader for the Minority.
STATEMENTS 12:45 p.m.
Minister for Education, Science and Sports (Papa Owusu-Ankomah) 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the Statement made by the hon. Member for Avenor/Ave and the Deputy Minority Leader.
Mr. Speaker, the history of schools like
Accra Academy says a lot to us as a nation. Schools like Accra Academy, as my hon. Colleague said, started from humble beginnings. It was started with the spirit of sacrifice, voluntarism, thinking about the community more than themselves, as individuals. It is through the selfless sacrifice of people like the founding fathers of Accra Academy that Ghana is what it is today. As we progress as a nation, it is my prayer that we would recapture that spirit of voluntarism, that spirit of selflessness, and that spirit of sacrifice so that we may continue to make great strides.
Since the school is 75 years old it will certainly face challenges, but it is said that life without challenges is never inspiring. While Government will continue to give its support to all secondary schools in this country, let us all bear in mind that some schools are considered better endowed than others. Old Students, Old Girls and Boys should also support their alma maters. We have past Speakers, we have past Chief Justices, we have eminent politicians, past and present, such as the hon. Deputy Minority Leader -- [Hear!
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
At the Commencement
of Public Business -- Item 4 -- Presentation and First Reading of Bills, Minister for the Interior.
Majority Leader (Mr. F. K. Owusu-
Adjapong): Mr. Speaker, I want to crave your indulgence to present this Bill on behalf of the hon. Minister.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
All right, please go
ahead.
BILLS -- FIRST READING 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Papers to be laid -- (a) Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, before I do this I thought we may want to ask the Committee to consider whether it could be treated as an Urgent Bill.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
That is in respect of the Auction Sales Bill?
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 12:55 p.m.
Yes, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Then I direct the
Committee to determine whether this Bill can be taken upon a Certificate of Urgency.
PAPERS 12:55 p.m.
-- 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Item 6 -- Motion.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, Leadership has considered the motion numbered as item 6 and we want to seek your indulgence to make a small amendment for purposes of clarification so that the motion will read as follows:
“That this honourable House adopts the Supplementary Estimates in the sum of ¢4,280.30 trillion for the 2006 Financial Year”.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Deputy Minority
Leader, what do you say to that?
Mr. Adjaho 12:55 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I support
the motion.
Mr. Speaker 12:55 p.m.
Hon. Members, the
motion is varied as follows:
“That this honourable House adopts the Supplementary Estimates in the sum of ¢4,280.30 trillion”.
MOTIONS 12:55 p.m.
Chairman of the Finance Committee (Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Addo) 1:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is my special privilege to rise to second the motion as moved. In so doing I would want to present the Report of the Finance Committee.
1.0 Introduction
The Supplementary Estimates for the 2006 Financial Year were laid in the House on Thursday, 13th July 2006 and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report, pursuant to article 179 (8) of the 1992 Constitution and Standing Order 143 of the House.
To consider the Estimates, the Committee met with the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, hon. Prof. George Gyan-Baffour and a technical team from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and reports as follows:
2.0 References
The Committee availed itself of the following documents in its deliberations:
The 1992 Constitution
The Budge t S ta tement and Economic Policy for 2006
Standing Orders
Review of Economic Performance based on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2003 Financial Year
Review of Economic Performance based on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy and a Supple- mentary Estimates for 2006.
3.0 Background
In November 2005, the 2006 Budget Statement and Economic Policy was presented to the House for approval in line with article 179 of the Constitution and Standing Order 140 of the House.
The Budget reflected the Strategic focus of the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) which dwells on accelerated growth as a means of creating wealth, reducing poverty and enhancing development.
Since the 2006 Budget was approved by the House, many significant developments have arisen on the macro economic front. Ghana is to further benefit from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative resulting in the irrevocable cancellation of outstanding debts owed to the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank.
These reliefs are to be used to augment the current investment levels to accelerate the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) towards the reduction of poverty.
For these investments to be under-taken there is the need for some adjustments in the annual estimates approved for the 2006 financial year and the redirection of government's efforts to achieve these development goals.
As a result of this, there is the need for supplementary estimates to be laid before the House for approval in conformity with article 179 (8) of the Constitution and Order 143 of the Standing Orders of the House.
4.0 Supplementary Provision for 2006
The total amount of ¢4,280,328,000 being the supplementary estimates is grouped under three thematic areas, namely, Good Governance and Civic Responsibility -- ¢1,783.5 billion, Private Sector Competitiveness -- ¢2,149.3 billion and Human Resource Development --¢347.5 billion.
The Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning informed the
Committee that the amount would be disbursed as follows:
5.3 Office of Government Machinery
A total of ¢731.7 billion is being allocated to the Office of Government Machinery. Out of this amount, ¢91.5 billion has been allocated to support programmes and activities of the National Identification Programme (NIP) in view of the importance of the National Identification Programme (NIP) in the development agenda of the nation.
An amount of ¢182.9 billion has also
been proposed to fund the activities marking Ghana's Golden Jubilee Celebrations. This amount, some Members were of the opinion that it was on the higher side and needed explanation and justification from the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
The Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Prof. Gyan- Baffour informed the Committee that the amount would be used to undertake activities such as the renovation of the Independence Square and 28th February Roundabout, acquisition of fleet of cars for the invited dignitaries, accommodation for guests, renovation of some ceremonial structures in Accra, maintenance of a small secretariat for the Anniversary Planning Committee among others.
The Minister assured the Committee that the celebration would be throughout the country and that the Anniversary Planning Committee would meet and brief the Finance Committee on the details of the proposed expenditure.
5.4 Office of Parliament
Parliament has been allocated an amount of ¢64 billion to fund various
investment activities, including the renovation of the Chamber block and the completion of the new Office block.
5.5 Ministry of Transportation
There is a provision of an amount of ¢868.9 billion to the Ministry of Transportation. This is to support the road projects such as Tetteh Quarshie to Adenta, Achimota to Ofankor, Asankragua to Enchi and Dadieso, Bamboi to Tinga among others.
Members noted that just one bulk figure has been allocated to the various road projects (as per the appendix) and requested the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to endeavour to provide the specifics as to how much is allocated to each road project to make it easier for monitoring and supervision.
5.6 Ministry of Harbours and Railways
The Harbours and Railways Ministry has been allocated a supplementary amount of ¢73.2 billion to support the rehabilitation of railway transportation from Accra to Tema.
5.7 Ministry of Energy
I n s u p p o r t o f G o v e r n m e n t 's commitment to increase capital investment in the utilities sector, an amount of ¢311 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Energy for the construction of a Third Bulk Supply Point (BSP) in Accra, acquisition of VRA Generator and the implementation of SHEP- 4.
5.8 Ministry of Education, Science and Sports
As is known, Ghana has won the right to host the Confederation of African Nations (CAN) 2008 Soccer Competition. The Committee observed that this would require significant financial investment in infrastructure. To achieve the goal of organizing a successful tournament and
Mr. Alfred W. G. Abayateye (NDC -- Sege) 1:05 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion moved by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.
Mr. Speaker, I am a member of the
Committee. The Finance Committee deliberated on the Estimates submitted to the House. Indeed, we went through it and we are of the view that the House should approve the Estimates but with
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Mr. Alfred W. G. Abayateye (NDC -- Sege) 1:05 p.m.


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some further explanations.

Indeed, when you look at the celebration of Ghana's 50th Anniversary, under the Office of Government Machinery, the hon. Minister briefed the Committee that the amount stated,¢182.9 billion, which is proposed to be used to mark the 50th Anniversary is the minimum. Indeed, we are going to celebrate the 50th Anniversary and we are told it is going to be nationwide.

We are also told that there will be renovations at the Independence Square, the 28th February Roundabout, accommodation for guests and cars to be bought. It is good.

Indeed, it is stated in the Report that the committee planning the programme will later on submit the detailed estimates

to the Finance Committee. But I wish to put on record that just as the bulk amount was put in the Estimates concerning the 50th Anniversary Celebrations, if they had broken down the amount for us it would have helped us more to scrutinize it. Though we are expecting the Committee to bring the details, it means we will push the motion through before we get to know the details.

Again, there is a particular thing which I noted, and I drew the hon. Minister's attention to that. An explanation was given but it did not go down well with me. Under the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, an amount has been allocated for Peduase Lodge reha-bilitation. It is stated twice, the partial-refund -- Peduase Lodge Rehabilitation Partial-refund and Peduase Lodge Rehabilitation. I got a bit
Mr. Alfred W. G. Abayateye (NDC -- Sege) 1:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted.

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disturbed. I was trying to reach the hon. Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing for more explanation. As it is now -- Peduase Lodge Rehabilitation Partial- refund and Peduase Lodge Rehabilitation -- I got a bit disturbed.

With these few comments, if these explanations can be given to me or to the House, I have nothing against the Estimates and would love that the House approves it.

Alhaji Collins Dauda (NDC --

Asutifi South): Mr. Speaker, I also rise to support this motion. Mr. Speaker, in doing so permit me to make a few observations particularly with regard to the rehabilitation of the Accra-Tema railway line, which is captured in the Committee's Report at page 4, paragraph

5.6.

Mr. Speaker, ¢73.2 b i l l ion i s allocated for the rehabilitation of railway transportation from Accra to Tema. Mr. Speaker, we know that this project is intended to reduce traffic holdups between Accra and Tema and also to reduce stress on drivers who ply this road, particularly in the mornings and evenings. Mr. Speaker, it is in this regard that I think that it is a noble and worthy idea that has to be supported.

However, Mr. Speaker, my problem with it is that at page 200 and paragraph 648 of the 2006 Budget Statement, and with your permission if I may read that paragraph:

“Mr. Speaker, with respect to the rail sector the following activities will be undertaken” --

And the third paragraph states --

“Complete the Accra-Tema rail rehabilitation works and introduce train services by the end of 2006.”

Mr. Speaker, we are already in July, and we have about six months more to get to the end of the year. I cannot envisage a situation where rail services could be provided between Accra and Tema. But Mr. Speaker, that notwithstanding, at least, it is good for an effort to be made.

But Mr. Speaker, talking about the rehabilitation of the Accra-Tema railway line, if you take a walk from the Produce Buying Company (PBC) head office at Dzoworlu to Tema, particularly the line that crosses the Airport Residential Area where very prominent citizens of this country live and therefore can be described as a bourgeois area, there is massive encroachment on the railway line, to the extent that some developments are going on even on the embankment of the rail track.

Mr. Speaker, it is possible to do expansion here and it is possible to rehabilitate it, but I envisage a demolition exercise, and that is why I think that the Government requires a strong political will to deal with this situation, otherwise this project will be elusive; it may not work.

Mr. Speaker, a process should have even been put in place. A demolition exercise requires a court order; nobody can get up and cause the demolition of anybody's structure without a court order. So I thought that a process would have been put in place for a court order to be given for the demolition exercise to begin for the rehabilitation to take place.

Mr. Speaker, that has not been done. I call on the hon. Minister responsible for Harbours and Railways to initiate this exercise of getting a court order so that the demolition exercise is done. Mr. Speaker, if the Government of the New Patriotic

Party (NPP) has not got the courage, the strong will, to carry out this demolition exercise, I am afraid, this project certainly cannot see the light of day. [Interruption.] Mr. Speaker, I have not mentioned the President's house but I am saying that it is in that area.

Mr. Speaker, the other issue has to do with the allocation given under the Office of Government Machinery where a big chunk of money is allocated for small- scale programmes -- the micro and the macro projects. Mr. Speaker, we have been told by the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning that a chunk of that allocation would be given to support farmers in Ghana.

Most times, Mr. Speaker, the situation

is that when such an arrangement is made and banks are to be the institutions to lend these monies to our farmers, the bottlenecks that are put in place serve as a disincentive to the farmers. The loans would get to the farmers at the wrong time when they do not even require the money; and therefore it becomes very difficult for the farmers to actually benefit from the loan and to be able to service the loans.

Mr. Speaker, this practice must end. If Government is determined to support farmers, these monies must get to the farmers at the right time. We do not know -- Luckily our hon. Minister for Food and Agriculture is a farmer himself and a banker by profession; and I hope that he would take a cue from this experience and ensure that the disbursement to the farmers is done at the right time so that the farmers can benefit from this noble project.

Mr. Speaker, with these few comments,

I support this motion and urge my hon. Colleagues to also support it.
Mr. Alfred W. G. Abayateye (NDC -- Sege) 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo (NPP --
Amenfi East): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to also associate myself with the motion on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, the micro economic indicators indicate that the economy continues to be stabilized. Mr. Speaker, inflation in April was around 9.5 per cent. Of course, in May, because of the fuel price increases on the world market inflation went to 10.1 per cent. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to commend the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and his team and also the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and his team for ensuring that we have a very stable economy.
Mr. Speaker, next year Ghana would
be 50 years since independence; we are going to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Ghana's Independence. It is a very important occasion and therefore we have to plan ahead and get all the resources. It is therefore right that estimates have been made for us to prepare enough and sufficiently towards Ghana's Indepen- dence Jubilee Celebration next year.
Mr. Speaker, I am urging my hon.
Colleagues to support the Estimates but then I have some worry about some aspects of the review in paragraph 229, that is, page 63. Mr. Speaker, it is indicated in that paragraph that the Ministry of Energy has received the preliminary feasibility study report from Volta River Authority (VRA) on the relocation of the Osagyefo Barge to Tema. Mr. Speaker, I am not comfortable with the relocation of the Osagyefo Barge from Efaso to Tema.
Mr. Speaker, just about two or three days
ago, we looked at the petroleum agreement between Ghana Government and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) on one hand, and then the Tullow (Ghana) Limited on the other hand. Mr. Speaker,

in the report that we have received, we are being told that close to two hundred million cubic feet of gas has been discovered in the Tano basin. Mr. Speaker, the intention of locating the Osagyefo Barge at Efaso was to source these gas reserves which Ghana has abundantly at the place. The barge had been sent there and -- Mr. Speaker, it was actually sent at a very real cost.

Mr. Speaker, for two years this barge was sitting in Takoradi and the Government had to source money to locate the barge in Efaso. Having spent that money -- and Mr. Speaker, if you go to the site we have a lot of installations which also involved costs. Mr. Speaker, buildings have been put up; we have all manner of installations put up at the place and all that the Osagyefo Barge was waiting for was the gas to actually fuel it for it to supply extra energy for Ghana.

Mr. Speaker, now we are hearing that it is going to be relocated to Tema and there is a cost element to that. There is economic cost if it should be relocated; there is social cost; there is also a political cost. Mr. Speaker, to me, it would be very dangerous for the Osagyefo Barge to be relocated to Tema.

Mr. Speaker, I know that the West African Gas Pipeline is terminating at Takoradi, and from Takoradi I also know it requires about 100 million dollars to extend the West African Gas Pipeline to Efaso to provide gas for the barge. Mr. Speaker, here we are being told that we would need 50 million dollars to relocate the barge.

My question is, why do we not look for extra $50 million to extend the West African Gas Pipeline to Efaso and then fuel this barge? Mr. Speaker, to me, the nature of the request is justified, but the purpose for which the $50 million is being

sought for, I am against it.

Mr. Speaker, on that note I am

supporting the Mid-year Estimates but I have some reservations, particularly in respect of paragraph 229 of this document. On that note I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity.

Mr. J. K. Gidisu (NDC -- Central

Tongu): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to get myself associated with the debate on the floor. Mr. Speaker, in doing so I would like to observe that the Committee's Report has not been comprehensive enough to capture other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and I do not want to believe that by that they are trying to draw them to the background.

Mr. Speaker, because we do not have much time I would be limiting myself to some areas, more especially under human resource development.

Mr. Speaker, I am doing so because human resource development has been identified as one of the three pillars of the priority areas of the Government, more especially under the GPRS II, in promoting development of knowledgeable, well- trained and disciplined labour force with the capacity to drive this nation forward.

Mr. Speaker, in furtherance of this,

I would equally want to focus on the education sector, among others. Mr. Speaker, it is very important for us as hon. Members of this House, when discussing and trying to approve further expenditure estimates for the various MDAs, to reflect on what really is the situation on the ground with regard to figures and reports that come before the House.

Mr. Speaker, I am doing so with the
rose
Mr. Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Hon. Deputy Minister, do you have a point of order?
Mrs. Baiden-Amissah 1:25 p.m.
On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member for Central Tongu (Mr. Joe Gidisu) is misleading the House. He is saying that the capitation grant does not cover pre- schools entirely. I wish to inform the whole House that the capitation grant covers the pre-schools as well, especially the kindergarten. Even with the school feeding, we have added the pre-schools. So this is the fact on the ground.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite intriguing for the hon. Deputy Minister to be saying that they have taken on board the pre-schools in the school feeding programme, for example. Just last week there was a news item of those pre-
Mr. Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:25 p.m.
And for her to come to the House to say that they are being fed is another statement. Mr. Speaker -- [Interruption.]
Mrs. Baiden-Amissah 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend is saying that just last week some pre-school children were crying. For the school feeding, we have started on a pilot basis. It has covered all the 138 districts; at least, one in each district and we are gradually moving to the constituencies. I am talking about the capitation grant which has covered all public pre-schools in Ghana. For the feeding, we have started on pilot basis; some have been covered, others are yet to be covered. So whether people were crying in his constituency or whatever, if he can come and help us we will be happy.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, this is where some of us have problems with the capitation grant. When we are talking of quality education, it is not only the capitation grant that is involved. For example, we are talking of the pre-school situation. Mr. Speaker, it is an undeniable fact throughout the whole country that kindergartens, even in all public schools in the country are not taken on board by the Government. And if we are sincere to ourselves, one would realise that salaries of some of these pre-school teachers are not being paid. I have a letter from one of those schools in my constituency appealing to me for the payment of teachers and for that matter to report the situation.
rose
Mr. Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Deputy Minister, do you have a further point of order?
Mrs. Baiden-Amissah 1:25 p.m.
Yes, Mr. Speaker -- The pre-school teachers, especially those handling the kindergarten level, are being paid. They were even on the payroll before the onset of the capitation grant. If some of them have not been paid, it means that they have just entered and their inputs are now being worked on. So what he is saying does not hold water. [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker 1:25 p.m.
Order!
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is always the conclusion that the NPP Government has lofty ideas, but when it comes to the implementation, they are faulty.
Mr. Speaker, this is a situation which on paper looks very lofty, but in its implementation -- I am talking about the situation as we have it on the ground. Mr. Speaker, I would want to move further away from the pre-schools to the situation of upgrading of teachers.
Mr. Speaker, if you look at the Supplementary Estimates, page 79, column 298, you would realize that to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools, teacher upgrading is being undertaken by the University of Education, Winneba. Mr. Speaker, as at now, the University of Education, Winneba, is the main pivot of training teachers in this country, and the Report on the Estimates noted that under 500 teachers have been taken on board in terms of teacher training at the University of Education, Winneba. And they referred to the University of Cape Coast as having enrolled over 9,343 students.
But in reality, the University of Cape Coast, as at now, professionally trains teachers who go there for upgrading form a very insignificant number whilst the majority of teachers go to the University of Education, Winneba. So Mr. Speaker, in terms of trying to paint the situation in the Report that a larger number of teachers are being trained whilst at University of Education, Winneba, a very small figure is being taken on board is not a reflection of the reality.
Mr. Speaker, one other area which we will have to address effectively is the situation of study leave for teachers in the context of what is being said.
Mr. Speaker, if you look at the number that the Ministry had come up with, in terms of these teachers on study leave, what number is on study leave with pay? A lot of these teachers who are in such institutions are not pursuing courses on study leave with pay and they are very frustrated; every now and then the Minister's desk is choked with petitions upon petitions. So it is very important for the Ministry to be addressing this situation more effectively than they have been doing; than this statistical indicators which are not reflective of the actual situation in these institutions.
Mrs. Baiden-Amissah 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. Friend started on a very good note, and I thought he was going to continue. But the way he is bringing in other issues that are not true is what is worrying me and is causing me to be persistently standing up.
Mr. Speaker, the teachers who are on study leave are those who actually applied for the study leave after they had been given admission; and their application
letters were approved before they entered. Others decided to enter without approval. So do we pay those who entered without approval?
Much as we are encouraging teachers to upgrade themselves, we do not want the classrooms to become empty, so we are doing the quota system. If yours was not approved and you have decided on your own to enter the university, nobody will pay you. But when they finish, once the university has trained them, well, we will post them. So this is the truth on the ground. People are making so much noise here and there, but the truth is what I have told you.
Even in my own constituency, some teachers are coming, making noise that they are in the university and they are being denied study leave with pay; but they did not wait for approval, they just entered before applying for it. This is the reality on the ground.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:25 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, for lack of time, I will move to the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment.
Mr. Speaker 1:25 p.m.
All right, please do that.
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it is most unfortunate that your Committee did not reflect on this very important Ministry in terms of its discussions in its Report.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, if you look at the supplementary estimates, the figures equally under paragraph 326 which is by way of training programmes being conducted to equip the youth with vocational and business entrepreneurial skills, Mr. Speaker, the situation is not very encouraging.

If you look at the fact that for a national programme, only three workshops had

been conducted so far and at those workshops, 33 participants were taken on board, it means that up till now, only 99 participants have benefited from such a programme. And this is the pivot of our drive towards equipping the youth with skills and other entrepreneurial training which will relief them from the unemployment situation.

Mr. Speaker, there is the need for us as a House to give the necessary backing to this Ministry and it is not only the allocation of resources but the prudent use of those resources to meet the national target and the national aspirations. There is the need for us to look at these situations more seriously yet no allocation had been made in the provisional estimates for this Ministry. I do not know whether it is an oversight on the part of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning or the Sector Minister has not submitted any inputs for supplementary estimates under that.
Mr. Speaker 1:35 p.m.
Are you concluding?
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:35 p.m.
Yes, please. Mr.
Speaker, there is the need for various sectors to enter into collaboration. I cannot imagine how the Ministry of Manpower ,Youth and Employment would be taking up responsibilities that could be more effectively handled by the Ministry of Health.
If you look at paragraph 329 of the Report, those areas would better be addressed by the Ministry of Health thereby alleviating the financial tension on that Ministry, because the two institutions are under the human resource development and for that matter, there is the need for effective collaboration so as to minimize cost and make it more cost effective in terms of their activities.
Mr. Speaker, I would want to say that if no allocation had been made to the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and
Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:35 p.m.


Employment there is the need for a second thought and a second consideration to that sector.

With these few words, I want to associate myself with the motion. Thank you.
Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing (Mr. Hackman Owusu- Agyemang) 1:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to give a little explanation to the issue raised by my hon. Friend who is no longer here with regard to Peduase Lodge. Mr. Speaker, if you take a look at the budget presented to this House last year, that is the budget for 2006, precisely paragraph 562 of page 173, it states there very clearly that Peduase Lodge was to be rehabilitated. In the process, there was the virement of the investment funds of the Ministry to start that programme.
As much as that was curtailed, there was the need to reimburse the various developmental activities that had been put on hold or started for it to continue. In the interest of transparency, there was the need to capture the fact that that amount of money has been expended on the Peduase Lodge and that it needed to be refunded.
Also the second issue that was raised regarding the ¢36 billion was the one that was to be expended in the future. That is by way of explanation to the issue that was raised. Inasmuch as the Peduase Lodge sometimes has become the centre of a little misunderstanding, I thought I should clarify that point, sir. I thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Maj. (Dr.) (Alhaji) M. Ahmed (retd
(NDC -- Ayawaso East): Mr. Speaker, next year is the golden jubilee year for Ghana and indeed, the whole nation will join in celebrating this important milestone. It will also be the time when we will reflect and take stock of our development. We expect that very good reports will be presented about progress in almost all key sectors of our economy.
I expect specifically very good reports on health. Mr. Speaker, however, the supplementary budget that we have today does not give us any indication that we will be able to report that health in Ghana is so good.
I will take very few examples. There are two clinics in my constituency, Nima Government Clinic and then Maamobi Polyclinic. In fact, over the years, there has been the promise that the Maamobi Polyclinic will be upgraded to the status of a sub-metropolitan hospital. Up-to-date, Mr. Speaker, that has not been realized.
Mr. Speaker, jus t las t week I encountered a few patients who reported at the Nima Government Clinic with their health insurance cards and then they were not treated because the clinic had not yet been furnished with data on those who have been registered on the mutual health insurance scheme. I think that this development does not augur well for our health sector, especially when we have just a paltry sum of ¢91.5 billion to support it.
Then page 115, Mr. Speaker, paragraph 465 reports that the Ministry of Health must be provided a supplementary allocation of ¢91.5 billion to support its exemptions programme as well as to partially fill the gap resulting from the loss of financing arising from the collapse in the health sector wide approach programme.
Mr. Speaker, exemptions take a lot of money and it is my considered opinion that probably about 70 per cent or more of this amount may go into exemptions alone, yet there is virtually no mention of any support for infrastructural development for expansion of facilities for training or recruitment of new personnel as the case may be.
Mr. Speaker, another major area of concern to me is internal security. Mr. Speaker, the police recruitment training and the issue of their logistics is still a
problem. Yesterday, there was a small incident in Accra Newtown where it was reported that there was a snake churning out a lot of money and there was near stampede in my constituency. A report was made to the police as early as 6.30 a.m. and they could not respond.
Within just a distance of less than two kilometres, Mr. Speaker, it took more than two hours for the police to arrive at the spot; and this goes to tell us how ill- prepared the police are through no fault of their own. Mr. Speaker, because of lack of personnel and logistics they are unable to respond to calls by our citizens. Mr. Speaker, it was all a ruse; there was no money. So by the time the Minister for Information and National Orientation sent his team, there was nothing to collect.
Mr. Speaker, on this note, I support the motion.
Alhaji Mohammed M. Mubarak (NDC -- Asawase) 1:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion and in doing so make a few observations.
Mr. Speaker, we are all very happy that Ghana will be 50 years next year. But Mr. Speaker, looking at the challenges that we have as a country and what has been earmarked here in your Committee's Report, that we are going to use an amount of ¢182.9 billion to celebrate 50 years of our independence, Mr. Speaker, to me, is on a very very high side.
Mr. Speaker, if you look at the Supplementary Budget where we have failed to allocate any amount to the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, we have reduced the allocation of money to many sectors and given them few billions to work with, yet we are going to dedicate a whopping sum of ¢182 billion for our independence celebration. Mr. Speaker, I
think we are being too generous towards this 50th Anniversary.
Mr. Speaker, we have 138 districts
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 1:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the focus of this debate is being lost. On a point of information. This is a Supplementary Budget so it cannot cover everything. So where there are deficits this is where we fill in. And inasmuch as the 50th Anniversary celebration is concerned the Committee, of which I am a member, was not allocated any funds earlier. This is what is being given, and I think we are losing complete focus of the issues as if it is a new budget -- [Interruptions.]
Mr. Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Order! Order!
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 1:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker,
a supplementary budget -- I do not see why it should go about every particular aspect of our life. And to spend $20 million on a 50th Independence Anniversary which over 20 Heads of State are attending, their accommodation and every other thing being considered is even peanuts. So I do not see what he is talking on about. I think we cannot really spend a lot of time on this issue. This is a supplementary budget and not a full Budget, Mr. Speaker; that is the point.
Mr. Speaker 1:45 p.m.
Hon. Member for
Asawase, this is an objection he has taken.
Alhaji Mubarak 1:45 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, every one of us here would agree, that you spend what you have, and you do that having in mind that that is going to bring you better returns. I am not against the celebration of the 50th Independence Anniversary, but looking at the challenges that we have as a country, and using close to $20 million
  • [MAJ. (DR.) (ALHAJI) AHMED
    • Prof. G. Y. Gyan-Baffour 1:45 p.m.
    On a
    point of order, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, members of the Committee were told that we were going to give them the breakdown whenever they wanted them -- [Some hon. Members: When?] -- Let me give them the breakdown right now. Let me tell them what they are for -- [Inter-ruptions.]
    Mr. Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Prof. Gyan-Baffour 1:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    ¢103.5 billion is for Tetteh-Quarshie- Madina road, Achimota-Ofankor is ¢101.3 billion, Bamboi-Tinga is ¢36.8 billion; Asankrangua-Enchi is ¢27.6 billion; Sogakope-Adidome is ¢50 billion;
    Ho-Fume is ¢20 billion; Accra Central Business District is ¢21 billion, and in fact, others about ¢508 billion for various roads throughout the country. Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. They were not available at the time that we were preparing this thing, it came in by fax, but I told the Committee that it was not clear and that is why it is not here. So this is the map of the areas that we are covering.
    Alhaji Mubarak 1:45 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr.
    Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am happy he has the specifics and I would urge the Minister to make this available to Members, especially the Committee on Trans-portation.
    Mr. Speaker, the next very important
    thing that I would want to bring to our notice is page 5, paragraph 5.9. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment has been allocated an amount of ¢27.4 billion. This allocation is supposed to help the Ministry to have seed money for the construction of new markets in Accra and Kumasi. Mr. Speaker, in your Committee's Report, when you look at “Observations” -- paragraph 6.1 -- it states that “An amount of ¢27.4 billion which had accumulated from adjustment of petroleum prices in February, 2005 . . .”
    Mr. Owusu-Agyemang 1:45 p.m.
    Rt. Hon. Speaker, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, as far back as February this year, informed this House that the near ¢28 billion that had accumulated would be used for markets. And we are working on the markets -- three for Accra, three for Kumasi. I do not know why the hon. Member has forgotten the fact that this House had been informed of this and that there was no objection to it being used for the development of markets for which we have virtually finished the drawings, sir, and this will be presented to the House. He knows it very well; I do not know why he goes on talking about that particular thing. Maybe, he has forgotten; I am reminding him of it, sir. The Minister made an open declaration to the whole nation as to what the money is to be used for.
    Mr. Speaker 1:45 p.m.
    Hon. Member for
    Asawase, you may take it on board.
    Alhaji Mubarak 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, all I am trying to drum home about is for us to be a bit careful. Now that the international market for petroleum products is very very turbulent, I think we should be cautious the way we spend whatever we have been able to save; we cannot predict what is going to happen. We all agree that our economy will not be able to sustain increases in petroleum products beyond a point and it is very very important that we do not rush to use what we have been able to save by way of windfalls from these petroleum products.
    With these few words, I support the motion before us.
    Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo (NPP -- Akim
    Oda): Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion moved by the hon. Minister for
    Finance and Economic Planning to the effect that one, this House endorses the overall economic performance for 2005 and outlook for the rest of 2006 and most importantly to approve the supplementary estimates of ¢4,280.3 billion.
    Mr. Salas-Mensah 1:55 p.m.
    On a point of
    order. Mr. Speaker, when the hon. Member for Akim Oda was about to support the motion, he read a whole lot of the motion from today's Order Paper -- that this honourable House adopts the supplementary estimates for 2006 financial year which has been amended to read per the figure added ¢4.3 trillion.
    So to go back to say that we should adopt the motion on government policy is wrong. We are not discussing government policy here. We are approving the supplementary estimate, which is ¢4.3 trillion; that is the subject matter on the floor.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    thank him for the information. To be precise, I am supporting the motion which calls on this House to approve the supplementary estimates of ¢4,380.3 billion. When you talk about the occasion for the House to look at the supplementary budget, then it means some expenditure has arisen that should be incurred and therefore the hon. Minister will have to show to us the sources of funding. Is he going to raise additional taxation to raise the revenue? If not, do we have enough evidence in the Report that, indeed, he has money?
    I am going through this because I heard certain comments on the radio stations and they were very very unprofessional
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 1:55 p.m.


    and sickening. When you talk about inflow, in Ghana here, we are getting our inflow or receipts through taxation, through grants, through internally- generated funds, through loans and, indeed, through Government divesting itself of its investment and selling also government equities.

    All these inflows come in. And the hon. Minister bordered clearly at page 48 to show the receipts and he went further to give us all the details at page 104 about his sources of receipt and it is very clear that this House is not going to raise any additional taxation to make the money.

    The money is available and therefore we have to look at the modus operandi for the expenditure. He has also gone ahead to share certain specifics with us. Mr. Speaker, this is not the occasion for us to talk about other areas which have not been covered. This is not the main Budget; the main Budget matter is completed.
    Mr. J. K. Gidisu 1:55 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member who just spoke is misleading this House. This House has oversight responsibility for the whole economy. So if the hon. Minister comes to this House with inadequate coverage of other sectors which we feel very necessary to be covered, I think the House has that opinion to express its views. For him to limit us in our opinion
    is very misleading.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, he is
    Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho 1:55 p.m.
    On a point
    of order. Mr. Speaker the hon. Member is misleading this House. The nature of the debate going on is based upon the way and manner the motion was moved. Mr. Speaker, it was on that basis that Leadership, in consultation with your goodself, decided to amend it and restrict it to those supplementary figures. If the motion had been moved in that form from the beginning, the kind of problems that are being raised now on the floor of the House would not have been raised. But that is not the case.
    Mr. Speaker, if you look at it, the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning called on this House to approve additional revenue. If one reads the report, it states -- and Mr. Speaker, with your permission I quote:
    “In addition, Government is seeking the approval of this House to raise additional revenue.”
    So it creates the impression that the revenue is not yet there and they are seeking the authority of this House to raise additional revenue. These are some of the
    things that when they are making some of these submissions, they should take cognisance of. If the submission had been limited to the supplementary estimates, which deal with paragraph 7 of the whole report, some of the things that are coming up on the floor of the House would not have cropped up.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 1:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the
    attention of the hon. Member who just spoke has been drawn to the same page -- paragraph 4 (1-2) onwards. In fact, the Minister had come with the total sum, which comes to the ¢4.380 billion without raising any addition. And he has justified in each case how much is coming from where -- the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) and the rest of them.
    My point is that, indeed, we have
    the two ingredients to approve the supplementary estimates. We have the sources of the inflow specified; we have the application also specified. There are some problems which may arise with the implementation. As the hon. Member for Asutifi South (Mr. Collins Dauda) said -- and I completely agree with him, if you intend to do Tema/Accra railway line today, between Dzorwulu and the airport there is a lot of encroachment such that it may appear theoretical if you do not go out with the political will.
    But as we know, the law is very clear. When you have a railway line, certain distances on the left and right of it belong to the State and therefore if the need arises for the State to get a court order to carry out demolition to enable us do it, I do not see the big deal about it. It will be taken care of because the Railway Law is very clear as to who owns the railway line and certain spaces in and out of the railway line. And so he should not worry about that one. And I can assure him that the
    Government has the political will to do it and when the time comes it will do it.
    There was also a comment which was also very interesting on air, that if expenditure that we have made in terms of GDP were also available to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), GDP would have risen to 12 per cent.
    Mr. Speaker, I went to Bank of Ghana
    Mr. Ayariga 1:55 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading this House. Indeed, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance did not say that if the type of expenditure were available -- He said the type of inflow that had come into this country between 2001 and 2005, and he related it to the period before 2001 and so he is clearly misleading this House.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am happy he is trying to quote and correct it. But it is important to note that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures, which we are now saying, look very big, like we are now at ¢ 96 trillion -- Mr. Speaker, this looks very big but if you take, say, 1998 where the GDP figure was ¢17 trillion, it translates into $7.4 billion. ¢79 trillion today also translates into $7.2 billion because in one case the exchange rate was only ¢2,340 and today it is ¢9,000 and something.
    Therefore, when you have it as a dollar base -- we are not dealing with GDP figures in dollars which has changed very much. Indeed, 1998 GDP was much higher than 2001, 2002 and 2003 in dollar base terms. Therefore, when we are arguing these things out and we use cedis as a basis we throw dust into the eyes of the public. [Some hon. Members: Teach
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 2:05 p.m.


    Mr. Speaker, I believe very strongly that the hon. Minister has done a good job showing us his sources of inflow and he has also given us a very good indication about the application.

    In respect of the independence expenditure, personally, I am surprised about people talking about this figure. Mr. Speaker, Ghana was the first black African country to be independent and we expect that next year, it is going to be like a tourism occasion. A lot of people would flock into this country to celebrate the indepen-dence anniversary with Ghana. [Hear! Hear!] -- A number of Heads of State would come here and my gut feeling is that this money would not be enough. If we really want to put up a show -- [Uproar] -- yes, a good show.
    rose
    Mr. Speaker 2:05 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Mr. Adjaho 2:05 p.m.
    On a point of order.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I

    Mr. Speaker, we must also be aware of certain facts and hon. Sallas-Mensah and hon. Colleagues know this. In 1992, the problems this country has had have

    come out of election years and it has been reported on extensively from all development partners. Our economy collapsed in 1992 because of expenditure during election year. We suffered the same fate in 1996. In 2000, it was even worse. In 2004, the economy was up -- no expenditure was up -- [Hear! Hear!] -- we kept faith. We did not overspend and the facts are there.
    Mr. Adjaho 2:05 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr.
    Speaker, I think that the hon. Member is misleading this House. The economic environment of 2000 is different from the economics of 2004. [Uproar.] Mr. Speaker, in 2000, gold and cocoa on the world market had collapsed; in 2004, it was the opposite. Mr. Speaker, why do we try to compare different types of situations? Mr. Speaker, I think that in trying to make his submission he should be very honest with himself.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I
    Mr. S. Sallas-Mensah (NDC -- Upper West Akim) 2:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion on the floor. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, in doing so, as the hon. Member for Akim Oda has said, the sources of revenue for this supplementary estimates have been clearly identified.
    Mr. Speaker, some of us at the committee level, were told that the sources of revenue were even more than what they are asking in the supplementary estimates. So we asked of where that surplus was and Mr. Speaker, we were told that a surplus of $181million has been put at the Bank of Ghana. And we asked, for what? And I am sure the report on page 6 has actually captured that. Mr. Speaker, with your permission I beg to read:
    “On the question of why an amount
    of US$181 million is sitting idle at the Bank of Ghana whilst various parts of the country continue to experience various developmental problems, the Deputy Minister explained that such a measure was necessary to cushion the country against any unexpected happenings in the currently rather volatile crude oil market.”
    Mr. Speaker, this money is being put aside for unexpected -- in what we call in accounting terms contingencies -- if it is contingency, some of us really contend that there should be a line item in the estimates to show that this is what we are providing for the Contingency Fund and that has been clearly spelt out in article 177 of our Constitution. Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will also quote:
    “ (1) There shall be paid into the Contingency Fund moneys voted for the purpose by Parliament; and advances may be made from that Fund which are authorized by the committee responsible for financial measures in Parliament whenever that committee is satisfied that there has arisen an urgent or unforeseen need for expenditure for which no other provision exists to meet the need.”
    Mr. Speaker, I go to article 177 (2) 2:15 p.m.
    “ (2) Where an advance is made from the Contingency Fund, a supple-mentary estimate shall be presented as soon as possible to Parliament for the purpose of replacing the amount so advanced.”
    Mr. Speaker, so if we were not to ask these questions, these moneys would have been sitting in the Central Bank and nobody would know about it. So Mr.
    Speaker, I would appeal to this House and also suggest that this amount of money, if it is truly sitting in the Bank of Ghana, should be captured under this supple-mentary estimate for the public to know that we have this money for contin- gencies.
    Mr. Speaker, on that note, I rest my case.
    Mr. Mahama Ayariga (NDC --
    Bawku Central): Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion before the House, that we adopt the supplementary estimate. And in supporting the motion I wish to draw your attention to a number of issues. Mr. Speaker, I have noticed in paragraph 397 that there are proposals to enhance the capacity of the Registrar-General's Department in order to reduce the time involved in the registration of companies and the search for documents at the Registrar-General.

    Mr. Speaker, reducing the time involved is commendable since it would enhance the doing of business in Ghana. But it is very important for us to realize that reducing the time at the Registrar- General's Department, is equally very important for us to decentralize the activities of the Registrar-General's Department.

    The reason why I think that we need to decentralize the activities of the Registrar- General's Department is that every establishment that wishes to do business must register a company, and if I am in Bawku Central, in order to register a company, I have to travel to Accra, stay in Accra and spend whatever number of days is involved to do the registration, you create the situation where people living in different parts of the country have to incur additional expenses in order to do a very simple exercise such as registration.
    Mr. Kwame Osei-Prempeh 2:15 p.m.
    On a
    point of order. Mr. Speaker, I believe the hon. Member who is the Ranking Member on the Committee of Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs ought to know that the decentralization has started. Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi have already taken off and the other regions are waiting. So it is not wholly true that nothing is being done; he being the Ranking Member should know.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe
    that if he had captured in the presentation that there are moves to further decentralize to a place closer to Bawku and not Tamale, it would not have attracted these comments. But be that as it may, Mr. Speaker, I think that we need to do further decentralization if, in fact, decentralization is taking place in this area because the evidence does not show on the ground that decentralization is taking place in this area. Indeed, it is not just limited to the registration of companies.
    If one wants to renew one's licence from Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, one has to come to Accra and sometimes it becomes very difficult for contractors because they have to travel to
    rose
    Mr. Speaker 2:15 p.m.
    Hon. Member for Ahafo Ano South, do you have any point of order to raise?
    Mr. Manu 2:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, yes. Mr.
    Speaker, the point of order is that the hon. Member is misleading this House. Way back during the time of his party being in government, they took a loan to rehabilitate the Job 600 which has more than 230 rooms and they used the money to balance the budget. If they had used that money for the project for which they collected the loan, today, he would have had an office and everybody else would have had an office. He should forget about what he is telling us now.
    Mr. Speaker 2:15 p.m.
    Hon. Member for
    Ahafo Ano South, you have no point of order at all.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am happy
    he did not say that we used the money to build a presidential palace. [Hear! Hear!] Mr. Speaker, the money was used to balance the budget and in fact, the money came after we had left office. So we did not use the money to balance the budget. He does not have his facts right. [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:15 p.m.
    Hon. Member, I have
    ruled him out of order. You do not have much time. You may have to conclude soon.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am saying
    Mr. K. T. Hammond 2:15 p.m.
    On a point of
    order. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member is misleading the House. Mr. Speaker, the hon. Speaker of this august House does not require an office. He is not part of the 230 hon. Members he is talking about. Mr. Speaker has got his own beautiful office over there and he does not require another one; he should take note of that.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, granted
    Mr. Kwamena Bartels 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,

    Mr. Speaker, the World Bank actually

    gave the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the legislature a grant of $25 million. Mr. Speaker, it was not even a loan. Mr. Speaker, that money was used in balancing the budget. I remember that consequently -- [ Interruptions] -- It was used in the year 2000.

    Mr. Speaker, hon. Kwame Peprah came to this House to ask for a Supplementary Budget and I remember that we made it a condition for the refund of that money. I stood up at that point -- I was the Spokesperson for Works and Housing and I remember getting the support of the late Rt. hon. Justice D. F. Annan to get hon. Kwame Peprah to make a commitment
    Mr. E. K. D. Adjaho 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    Mr. Adjaho 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it was a
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Mr. Adjaho 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the House
    should ask of him what he did with the outstanding balance.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, he is
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Order! Order! Hon. Members, let us speak to the motion. Hon. Member for Bawku Central, you may please conclude.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was
    proceeding when the Minister for Information and National Orientation interrupted and disoriented the whole House. [Laughter.] Mr. Speaker, it is important that we take the issue of office space for parliamentarians very seriously. If we can afford to spend millions of dollars to construct a presidential palace for one person, then it is important that the other two hundred and thirty people who were elected by the people also get office space where we can operate from. [Uproar.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Hon. Member, are you
    concluding?
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, that leads
    me into paragraph 436.
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Are you concluding?
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I was
    rose
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Hon. Member for
    Adenta, do you have any point of order?
    Mr. Kwadjo Opare-Hammond 2:25 p.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard the hon. Member say something which I consider very serious and misleading. Mr. Speaker, he said that we are constructing a presidential palace for one person. There is no such thing. We have not approved anything in this House for one person. Mr. Speaker, what we approved in this House was a facility for a presidential office complex. Mr. Speaker, the complex is supposed to have several departments and units for the Office of the President -- [Uproar.] Mr. Speaker, this office that we are talking about is also supposed to house visiting Presidents -- [Uproar.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Order!
    Mr. Opare-Hammond 2:25 p.m.
    Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I consider it dishonourable for my hon. Colleague on the other side to try and deceive, mislead this House and the entire nation that we are building a presidential palace for one person. [Hear! Hear!] There is no such thing.
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Hon. Member for Bawku Central, you were referring us to a paragraph --
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Go ahead.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think I will choose to ignore his intervention. Mr. Speaker, I was referring this House to paragraph 436. And Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will quote:
    “More importantly, however, very soon after, discussions with the Leadership of the House on the recommendations of the Chinnery -- Hesse Report have been concluded, Government intends to lay before this House proposals to significantly enhance the condi- tions of service for Members of
    Parliament.”
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 2:25 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, much as my hon. Colleague may want to speak on anything, I believe that it would have been part of the normal ethics of the House if he had consulted his leadership on this subject before making any further statement on the matter.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I just want to note that this is not limited to only Parliament. The reason why I am pointing this out is that the public is reading this and the impression might be created that we are sitting here to enhance our own conditions. But the Report captures all the constitutional bodies; it captures all courts of the Superior Court; it captures the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and the Electoral Commission and all those institutions that are responsible for ensuring that this country is governed efficiently, including that of the President and the Ministers of State.
    So it is important for us to make this very clear to the rest of the country. And I would urge the hon. Minister and the team that are working on this to speed up the process because this goes to the very integrity and capability of individuals who are captured under article 71.
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Please, conclude.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, another issue that I want to point out to this House is the allocations made to the Electoral Commission. Mr. Speaker, this country has just finished a very heated debate on electoral reforms -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:25 p.m.
    Which paragraph are you referring to?
    Mr. Ayariga 2:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, paragraph
    404 talks about the efforts that are being made to enhance the capabilities of the Electoral Commission and to revise the Voters Register.

    Mr. Speaker, the point that I wish to make is that we just ended a very heated debate at the national level, on electoral reforms. Mr. Speaker, at the heart of that debate was a proposition that resource- wise, we had not gotten to the stage where we could carry out the electoral reforms that were being proposed.

    Mr. Speaker, recent developments have come to confirm the arguments that we were making. In the recent voter revision exercise, the Electoral Commission could not cover all the polling stations. Indeed, they covered less than 25 per cent of the polling stations and because of that people could not go and -- The Electoral Commission itself and commentators have been unanimous in agreeing that the exercise itself has not been successful.
    Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 2:35 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, our young hon. Colleague is still young in the field of politics; the Electoral Commission has never ever, in this sort of exercise, covered every polling station. In fact, this year, it even took on more than it had done in the past. [Uproar.] Mr. Speaker, the
    young man has just joined politics. We have never covered every polling station in this exercise. So what is he talking about? That is the norm.
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    Hon. Member, please
    conclude.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, no matter
    what, the reality is that the complaint from the public is that the coverage is too low and that is why the exercise has not been successful. There is no doubt about that.
    Mr. Speaker, I would want to end on paragraph 465 of the Supplementary Estimates. Mr. Speaker, paragraph 465 states and with your permission, I quote:
    “Mr. Speaker, we propose that the Ministry of Health be provided a supplementary allocation of ¢91.5 billion to support its exemptions programme as well as partially fill the gap resulting from the loss of financing arising from the collapse in the Health Sector-Wide Approach Programme (SWAP).”
    Mr. Speaker, we passed the National Health Insurance Scheme Bill. We imposed a levy and that money is supposed to be used to deal with issues of exemption. Why should this House approve money to be used for exemptions? Mr. Speaker, what is the basis for this request?
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    Hon. Member, you may have to conclude. Other hon. Members will want to contribute.
    Mr. Ayariga 2:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, there is no basis for asking for more money when we have not been told how the money that had been received had been disbursed in relation to exemptions and how successful or unsuccessful the programme has been.
    Mr. Speaker, on that note, I wish to urge my hon. Colleagues, while taking note of the concerns that I have expressed, to vote for the motion before the House.
    Deputy Minister for Health (Mr.
    Samuel Owusu-Agyei): Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. Colleague is misleading the House -- [Interruptions] -- Please, on the issue of exemption -- [Interrup-tions.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    Hon. Deputy Minister
    for Health, if you want to contribute, you may do so.
    Mr. Owusu-Agyei 2:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Mr. Owusu-Agyei 2:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I
    want to make a short remark.
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    You want to contribute?
    Mr. Owusu-Agyei 2:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    Are you raising a point
    of order?
    Mr. Owusu-Agyei 2:35 p.m.
    Yes, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    You may wish to resume
    your seat.
    Mr. Edward K. Salia (NDC --
    Mr. Speaker 2:35 p.m.
    Hon. Member, you have
    three minutes.
    Mr. Salia 2:45 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Speaker, when this motion was moved in this House, there was a lot of heat on that day. And right after the motion was
    moved, there were so many widespread discussions about the Supplementary Estimates. Even this morning, I believe that the allusions to the policy issues raised were based upon the way and manner these particular Estimates were submitted.
    Supplementary Estimates are ordinary budgetary actions and I think that nobody should make too much fetish out of the fact that Supplementary Estimates have been made. They are made simply because of our inability to predict accurately our inflows and outflows. So every manager knows that it is an essential part of budgeting. So I believe that the fetish that was made out of it and the ceremony that attended this particular presentation must have led to most of these discussions and the very serious arguments that have been raging everywhere.
    I would therefore like to urge that in future there should be no ceremony of the type that prevailed in this House when this particular Supplementary Estimates were submitted to this House. I believe it was unnecessary and it just heightened the political tension in the House. It is a routine exercise and it should be done every time there is a need for it. Nobody can predict accurately how the inflows should be and nobody can predict when particular inflows will come. So I do not think it is useful to continue this type of debate and unnecessarily create tension in this House.
    Mr. Speaker, apart from this, I also
    have a few problems with some of the estimates that have been offered. Attention has already been drawn to the fact that a lot of these projects did not have figures allotted to them. I am very happy that the hon. Deputy Minister has provided the figures, particularly, for the road sector. But from the figures provided, everybody has a reason to feel disappointed because in a Supplementary Estimate, the amount

    of money expected to be used within the remainder of year -- I believe that, there was no need to put so much money in some of these projects because we are very certain that such moneys will not be utilised before the end of the year.

    My belief is that unless it was for a specific purpose, most of the revenues that we are generating could have been assigned to the 2007 Budget. I am very worried about some of the claims that the money would come in before the end of the year. I am worried because to go to the stock market and raise money from the sale of GOIL stocks, GBC stocks and the other ten companies is not likely to be realized before the end of the year because of the time it takes to realize that money.

    So I believe it is an unnecessary hurry to include those moneys in the revenues that are coming in for the year. My suspicion is that by the end of 2006, most of these moneys would not have actually come in. Besides, I also have a little concern about the allocation made for the Aviation Sector.

    Since the debacle of the Ghana Airways, no political authority has come to this House to tell us about what has happened to Ghana Airways. All of a sudden we have seen allocation of money to support the liquidation of Ghana Airways. I believe that there is an absolute need for us to get the full story about Ghana Airways because the information available seems to suggest that the liquidation of Ghana Airways did not proceed as it should have and that the liquidation of Ghana Airways could have generated a lot of money.

    So far, nobody has given any account of the revenue accruing from the liquidation of Ghana Airways. So I am not in a position to support that money should be allocated from central coffers for the

    satisfaction of the problems of Ghana Airways. In this regard, I think it is important for the Minister responsible for the Aviation sector to come to this House and give us the full story, the total story about the Ghana Airways situation.

    There is information that even some aircraft are still sitting in hangars and in Rome, Ghana Airways aircraft were locked up instead of being sold to realise some money. These are very serious allegations and I believe that the time has come for a full account to be given of the Ghana Airways problem. If we hide the problem of Ghana Airways and just throw in money to solve the problem, we might not be doing the best thing for the people of this country.

    Apart from this, the next issue is about the Ghana Railway Corporation. Since 2001 the total amount of money the Government of Ghana has put into Ghana Railway Corporation is less than ¢10 billion. For them to be putting in so much money -- This time I wish to commend them for doing so. But Ghana Railway Corporation has so many problems and I do not believe that this money can be put to any good use unless we take a total view of the Corporation. The information given here is that this money would be used for the improvement of the Accra- Tema Railway.

    My information is that this money is meant to extend the railway from Tema, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, to the other ports of Ghana. So I believe that we should get a clear indication as to what this money is going to be used for, rather than leaving us to guess. Unlike the Annual Estimates, in the case of Supplementary Estimates no committee debates or discusses what the estimates would be used for in particular. So I believe that it would be useful in future if more details are given about the purposes or uses that the Supplementary Estimates
    Mr. A. K. Agbesi (NDC -- Ashaiman) 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this motion on the floor and to make a few observations.
    My first observation is on the Judicial Service and this can be seen at page 102. Mr. Speaker, it is reported that the Judicial Service has declared this year as Alternative Dispute Resolution Year. This policy of alternative dispute resolution is a new concept in the judicial system and to some extent more popular with majority of Ghanaians. For the Judicial Service to declare this year as one for alternative dispute resolution is commendable and I think that we need to support it financially for the exercise to succeed.
    Mr. Speaker, i t is said in this Supplementary Budget that 60 judges and magistrates have already been trained for this purpose and also 50 career magistrates have also been trained in this area. It is stated that the Judicial Service has an aim; that aim is for the rule of law, transperency and speedy administration of justice in the country.
    Mr. K. T. Hammond 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I have just been told -- I did not appreciate it -- that my hon. Friend is a learned colleague. If it is so, Mr. Speaker, he is not only misleading this House and the whole of Ghana but practically he is misleading the legal fraternity. He is alleging that the concept of alternative dispute resolution is not popular. Where did he conduct the survey, and how did he come out with that.
    Everywhere on this earth, everybody is now calling for alternative dispute resolution. Where did he conduct that research and how did he come out with that? Can we have a copy? We want a copy of the survey report or we call on him to withdraw and not mislead the legal profession of the world.
    Mr. Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    Hon. Member for Ashaiman, please continue.
    Mr. Agbesi 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, if my hon.
    Colleague had listened properly he would have understood what I said. I said that this is a new concept which is yet to gain grounds with majority of the people. It is a new concept being introduced into the judicial system. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that some years ago, ten, fifteen years ago, this concept was unknown to the judicial system; it is a new system being introduced and people are gradually taking time to understand the system. This is what I said and if he did not listen he should please open his ears.
    Mr. Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    Hon. Member for Ashaiman, I did not hear what you said. You said it was unknown?
    Mr. Agbesi 2:45 p.m.
    Ten, twenty years ago this was not in the judicial system and it is now being -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    Are you also talking of customary arbitration? Do you include that or you exclude that?
    Mr. Agbesi 2:45 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, customary arbitration was -- Customary arbitration? [Laughter.]
    Mr. Speaker 2:45 p.m.
    Go on and conclude.
    Mr. Agbesi 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, alternative dispute resolution was not a system that was in the judicial system; it is an introduction. That is why they are training judges of the High Court and the Supreme Court for this purpose.
    Mr. Speaker, what I was saying is that it does not take only the personnel to give speedy administration of justice; other issues are needed. My visits to the courts at the lower level indicate that there are a lot of things needed in the Judicial Service to assist in the administration of justice. For instance, Mr. Speaker, many of our lower courts are still using manual typewriters. In most of them when applications are made for proceedings, it takes them a long time to be able to produce them.

    Mr. Speaker, if we grant the estimates of ¢36.6 billion that is being called for the Judicial Service, I believe and I want to think that it will go a long way. And I am urging the Service to be able to use part of this allocation to see to the provision of computers for the lower courts to enable them administer justice speedily for the people.
    Mr. Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    Are you concluding?
    Mr. Agbesi 2:55 p.m.
    Yes, I am about to conclude. Mr. Speaker, one issue that I have noticed is that the Ministry of Energy was also captured in this Supplementary Budget. Mr. Speaker, it is stated in the Supplementary Budget that the Ministry,
    particularly, the Volta River Authority (VRA) is going to acquire a generator. Mr. Speaker, I believe if that facility is acquired, we will be able to overcome some of the frequent power outages that we have in the country.
    Mr. Speaker, it is very disturbing that at important functions, particularly, during the World Cup, in my area when the game was about to start, power went off and it was a worry to most of us. The Ministry should be up and doing. I hope that when this money is given to them, they will be able to see to it that power outages particularly in my constituency, would become a thing of the past.
    Mr. Speaker, I want to say, as one hon. Member has said, that facilities that are provided in this House are inadequate and if money is being voted for the provision of facilities particularly office accom- modation for Members of Parliament, I think it is an issue that concerns all of us; and we will support it as far as we are going to be given facilities to enable us to do our job in this House efficiently.
    Mr. Speaker, with these few words, I support the motion.
    rose rose
    Mr. Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    Deputy Minority Leader, what is your position? You want to conclude?
    Ms. Akua S. Dansua 2:55 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief.
    Mr. Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    No, I have not called you yet. Deputy Minority Leader, what do you say?
    Mr. Adjaho 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I will be speaking but I think she wants to draw the
    Mr. Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    All right, Deputy Minority Whip, three minutes.
    Ms. Akua Sena Dansua (NDC -- North Dayi) 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I also rise to support the motion on the floor. But in doing so, Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw attention to some inaccuracies in the Minister's report to the House, specifically, from page 73, paragraph 269.
    Mr. Speaker, it says that water has been extended to two communities in the Volta Region, Anfoega and Worawora. Anfoega is in my constituency, but I am not aware of any such project. In fact, I was there at the weekend; I have 11 communities in the Anfoega Traditional Area. I went there to check and there has been nothing like that. What I know of is the relocation of supply lines to allow for the rehabilitation of the road; and that has got nothing to do with water supply. So I want the hon. Minister to address that.
    Then concerning the Worawora project, I am aware that the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives supported this project to the tune to 27 thousand Canadian dollars. Even if Government did anything on that project, I think it is only fair that these donors are acknowledged. And it is with these few words that I support the motion.
    Mr. Speaker 2:55 p.m.
    After the Deputy Minority Leader, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning will wind up.
    Mr. E. K. Doe Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor/Ave) 2:55 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I will start by saying that the House, under your leadership, must look at the way we present Supplementary Estimates in future. I believe that most of the issues we are raising deal more with policy rather than with the figures that we are supposed to deal with.
    Mr. Speaker, it is my considered opinion that we are supposed to scrutinise the figures given to us and see whether there is justification for this House to approve them. That is why it has been indicated earlier on that part of the confusion is the way it has been put together; both the economic policy and the Supplementary Estimates have been put together and that is the source of the confusion.
    As the hon. Member for Jirapa (Mr. E. K. Salia) rightly pointed out, there should not be any problem in terms of approving the Estimates, when we satisfy ourselves that those figures that are needed by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning or for that matter the Government to carry out certain activities can be justified to the satisfaction of this honourable House.
    Therefore, in future it will be very important to try to decouple policy review from Supplementary Estimates. I believe if that were to be done, it could facilitate our work in the House and it will help us have more time to scrutinise the figures, and then the debate on the floor will be reduced to the barest minimum in the interest of other business.
    Mr. Speaker, your Committee's Report, paragraph 6.3, is quite alarming and I think that we have to do something about it before these Supplementary Estimates -- We should find a solution to it. Mr. Speaker, it flies in the face of the constitutional provisions when we are being told that $181 million is sitting idle at the Bank of Ghana. Mr. Speaker, this is a bit serious, it is the Committee's Report that is saying so. Mr. Speaker, there can not be any justification; we all know where all monies are supposed to go. We all know that those monies are supposed to be used for certain purposes.
    Mr. Speaker, the justification that the hon. Deputy Minister was trying to offer
    Mr. E. K. Doe Adjaho (NDC -- Avenor/Ave) 3:05 p.m.


    the Committee, which was captured in the Committee's Report, is quite alarming, because we have to review the whole deregulation of the petroleum sector. Mr. Speaker, once the people are paying full cost-recovery for petroleum and all those things, it also means that the oil marketing companies are bringing in little in terms of foreign exchange to procure the crude oil. I think that they must also contribute.

    It is important for them to contribute to the procurement of crude oil with some of their foreign exchange. Otherwise, we use our resources, they sell, go back and change and dispose of it. Mr. Speaker, I think that the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning must give some better explanation as to why US$181 million is sitting idle at the Bank of Ghana; it has not been captured in the Supplementary Estimates and it has not been captured anywhere.

    Mr. Speaker, the second point that

    I would want to raise is with regard to paragraph 6.4 of the Committee's Report. Mr. Speaker, we all know that peace- keeping operations are self-financing, especially the United Nations one and therefore -- I stand to be corrected, but I have never seen any provision made in Budgets for peacekeeping operations. But now, we have made provision in our Budget and the question is this: Have we depleted the UN peacekeeping account in New York? Normally, we take money from the peacekeeping account in New York to pre-finance an operation and then the UN reimburses the account. Why is it that this time round, we are making provision in Government of Ghana Estimates for UN peacekeeping operation? They have to tell us why this thing has been done. We have never, never done it. It is a self-financing operation and we do not understand. If there is a problem, they

    should let the House know.

    Mr. Speaker, another point that I want to raise relates to paragraphs 442 and 443 of the Statement presented by the hon. Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.

    Mr. Speaker, I see a certain level of contradiction. I cannot see why we are being called upon to subsidise the operations of VALCO in the Budget, to the tune of ¢274 .4 billion - ¢320.1 billion.

    Mr. Speaker, the general policy of Government is that there should be full cost recovery. If ordinary people are being called upon to pay full cost-recovery for utilities -- electricity, petroleum products, water, fertilizer -- Why should we be subsidizing VALCO operations in Ghana? In fact, my own enquiry has revealed that the total commitment of Government of Ghana to subsidize VALCO is about $70 million and what is provided here is only part of it.

    So if we are going to give $70 million to only five hundred workers who have been employed as at now by VALCO, we better share the five hundred million dollars to the five hundred workers and close down, VALCO until such a time that we can get -- Maybe, if the West Africa Gas Pipeline comes into operation and we can put VALCO on stream and therefore the need for subsidy will not crop up at all -- Otherwise , with the greatest of respect, it does not make economic sense. It does not make economic sence at allfor us to subsidise the operations of VALCO in this contry. It does not

    Mr. Speaker, moreover, why is it that if we want to help the private sector it is VALCO that we are supporting? A lot of private companies in this country use
    Mr. Kan-Dapaah 3:05 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think we really need to be careful with some of the statements that we make; and I think I need to point that out to my hon. Friend.
    VALCO as an institution has always, or since tie immemorial, and during the twenty-year period of the NDC/PNDC had higher subsidies than today. It is not something which is of a recent origin; it has a very long history and the impression should not be given that all of a sudden, we have come with policy directive that is giving special favours to a particular company.
    At the time that bigger subsidies were being given, during the NDC/PNDC era, the company was owned hundred per cent by foreigners. Today, VALCO is almost hundred per cent owned by Ghanaians. So if we are giving the due subsidies, why should he talk about it? I thing it is a fairly complex issue and one should not be talking and giving a very, very wrong impression about a company that is going to revolutionalise the industrial outlook of this country.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that the hon. Minister has seriously misled this House. We know that we have a master agreement with VALCO; we have a certain master agreement with VALCO. That is an agreement that the price we pay was to get the hydro and then to have that master agreement which we were reviewing.
    One of the reasons why VALCO had to sue the Government of Ghana was with regard to some of these tariffs, we know as a matter of fact; for which reason we had to settle the matter by buying VALCO. The hon. Minister knows that as a matter of fact. That situation is different; that there was an existing master agreement which was signed in the First Republic, which ought to be respected by all governments. That is not the situation now as we speak.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, there is an additional information that I wish to give to the hon. Member who just spoke. Mr. Speaker, in business we call something imbursement multiplier effect. The dream of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was to have an integrated aluminum industry which never materialized, as we are aware. Today, it is very clear, because an MOU was signed with ALCOA recently for two billion US dollars.
    AlCOA is coming in and indeed the dream of Osagyefo Dr. Nkrumah is about to be realized, and we can only do so --[Interruptions.] Yes, the dream of Osagyefo-- [Uproar] -- and you can only do so if you have a multiplier plant which is VALCO, the smelter. Therefore, let us look at the industrial multiplier effect of VALCO in the context of this subsidy which had existed since 1961. And I think that for now, it would have a better purpose because we are hooking this on to the bauxite industry; and that is indeed something else.
    Indeed, I look at the investment in three areas -- the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about $8 million. Three projects: ALCOA, Kyebi, Nyinahin, and the railway line will be up to $9.2 billion. It will double the GDP of Ghana if it comes on stream -- [Uproar.] Therefore, it is something that we should all jump at and promote and talk for.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am not saying that people should not have dreams. If Nkrumah could not fulfil his dreams and it will take the NPP Government to fulfil Kwame Nkrumah's dreams, I have no problem. The point being made is that, we cannot subsidize VALCO for that purpose. We know we are getting gas from the West African Gas Pipeline; let us wait for that time to come so that we continue.
    Mr. Speaker 3:05 p.m.
    Minister for the Interior, do you have a point of order to make?
    Mr. Kan-Dapaah 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, it is important that we do not give out wrong information. I believe that my hon. Friend, if he wants any confirmation, can talk to some people like hon. Sallas-Mensah who knows about these figures; that the so-called subsidies to VALCO have been there for so many years. If anything at all, we have reduced it. There has been a substantial reduction.
    So the hon. Member should not give the impression that we started doing what he is talking about. Hon. Sallas-Mensah and hon. Moses Asaga can give out the figures. So if the hon. Member does not have the figures, he should not convey the wrong information to the good people of Ghana. Then again, hon. Ampofo would also be able to give him the figures.
    Mr. Sallas-Mensah 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker,
    the hon. Minister, Mr. Kan-Dapaah, is a very very good friend but the issues that he is talking about that we have been subsidizing this economy all these years -- [Interruptions] -- No. VALCO has never been subsidized. It was a primary agreement which had been signed between government and -- [Uproar.]
    Mr. Speaker 3:05 p.m.
    Order! Order! Deputy Minority Leader, conclude.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I will now refer you to the Appendix attached to the Committee's Report -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Speaker 3:05 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Mr. Adjaho 3:05 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I will like to refer you to the “Appendix” attached to the Committee's Report -- Office of Government Machinery. Mr. Speaker, about ¢457.3billion has been put there under Government Machinery, which is basically the Office of the President, for micro credit.
    Mr. Speaker, is our President now going to be in charge of micro credit in this country? I believe we have the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning; we have the Private Sector Ministry; we have the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Special Initiatives; we have other statutory bodies that can better administer the ¢457.3billion micro credit rather than putting it under Government Machinery, which is essentially the Office of the President.
    Mr. Speaker, the other time my senior uncle used to have “Senior Minister's micro credit”, but now that the office has been abolished, I think the micro credit had been abolished also.
    Now, the Office of the President virtually is going to manage micro credit of ¢457.3 billion. I think that something
    Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think the distinguished Member of Parliament for Avenor/Ave is really misleading this House. By the very nature of our political and constitutional dispensation, everything is under the President. Every Ministry, every Agency is under the President and he has agents as Ministers to work for him. So if this particular one falls -- I do not see what is wrong with it. He is just making a bit of noise and we all want to finish the debate.
    Seriously, Mr. Speaker, it cannot be said that the President is going to handle micro-credit. The President is in charge of everything; the Chief Executive is in charge of everything and the buck stops on his desk. That is all there is to it. It is not the President who is to disburse micro- credit. He should stop making the jokes and let us move on now.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, from his own logic he should rather resign as the hon. Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing so that the President can handle his Ministry for him. But Mr. Speaker, I would like to refer you to paragraph 460 of the Supplementary Estimates. Mr. Speaker, an amount of ¢45.7 billion is being allocated to the Ministry of Aviation.
    Mr. Speaker, we all know the state of the aviation industry in this country. Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is doing very well; GCAA as a corporate entity is not doing badly, but Ghana International Airline is already a total disaster. Mr. Speaker, as I speak to you now, they do not have air operators' certificates that airlines are supposed to have. What they have is air operators' license which charter flights do
    have. I believe that one of the conditions for an airline to be so certified is to have its own equipment.
    I believe that even if part of this money is used for the new airline to procure its own aircraft so that Ghana International Airlines can even get that certificate of operators of airlines, it would be very good. But now, we are saying that the ¢45.7 billion -- yes, it is for Ghana Airways liquidation exercise and part of the fund is expected to be used to support the activities and programmes of the newly-created Ministry. We would have a Ministry which would be supervising Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and an airline which does not have its own aircraft. Mr. Speaker, with the greatest respect, this really does not make economic sense.
    Finally, Mr. Speaker, paragraph 430
    of the Supplementary Estimates is a bit disturbing -- the ¢182.9 billion allocated for the Golden Jubilee of our Independence. There is nothing wrong in celebrating an occasion but Mr. Speaker, the minimum information that this House needs must be provided. Mr. Speaker, for example, we do not know how much of this money has been allocated to cars; we do not know what exactly is going to be renovated; and we do not know the details of this expenditure.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe that nobody conjured the ¢182.9 billion but there should be a certain minimum information by which they arrived at the ¢182.9 billion instead of another figure. That minimum information should be provided to us. We are only being told that there is going to be renovation; fleet of cars are going to be bought, et cetera. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important for some of this information to be provided to this House so that all of us as a House, when we are asked about it, we can defend the ¢182.9 billion.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:15 p.m.


    Mr. Speaker, for all you know, this figure is even lower than what is anticipated but here I stand now as a Member of this honourable House, and if I go out and somebody asks me what the ¢182.9 billion is going to be used for, I would tell the person I do not know.

    Mr. Speaker, it is important to involve

    all of us in this process. I do not want to believe that the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary is only going to be a one- sided issue; it is a matter that concerns all of us. It is supposed to give us a national character; all of us are supposed to take part. So when we are asking this basic information, it should be provided to us. If for any reason, they even want to treat it as security information, there is a lot of information they have given us which were not put in the public domain. Mr. Speaker, this is very, very important.

    Finally, Mr. Speaker, the sixty-four billion cedis given to Parliament is on the low side.
    Mr. Osafo-Maafo 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate the hon. Deputy Minority Leader is misleading this House. We cannot treat breakdown for information for expenditure towards independence anniversary as security Information. Indeed, at the committee level, they promised to bring the details out later and therefore what we should request is that, whenever the details are ready, this should be made available to the committee and to the House. It can never be security information and when you make statements like this, it gives the wrong impression to the general public. Expenditure for Independence An-niversary is of public knowledge and this can even appear in the dailies. It is important for all of us to know.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, what the hon. Member is saying is that we should approve the figures then and they would come and justify their expenditure later. That is the effect of the submission he has made but we justify before we approve. Now he is saying that we should approve then they would come back and justify it. It is never done anywhere. Once I give you the money I have no power again to control how you use the money; so before I approve it I have to make sure I am satisfied.
    Mr. Speaker 3:15 p.m.
    Hon. Member, you were concluding.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:15 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have to look again at the way we present supplementary estimates so that we de- couple financial policy and review from the main figures so that next time we are talking about supplementary estimates, we would limit ourselves, as much as possible, to the scrutiny of the figures and approval. Supplementary estimate is no magic; it is nothing. After all, some of these things would appear in next year's Appropriation Act and when it appears in the Appropriation Act, we would be asking them certain questions.
    Mr. Speaker, subject to this observation, especially the US$181 million sitting idle at the Bank of Ghana and the Golden Jubilee Anniversary, the ¢182.9 billion which hon. Osafo-Maafo is not prepared to give me the information, on these are my comments.
    On the whole, Government Supple- mentary Estimates as a principle should not be withheld by this House but I think the concerns of this side of the House have been raised. I believe, in the winding-up of the hon. Minister, he would provide answers to these issues that we have raised to facilitate the smooth approval of the motion before us.
    rose
    Mr. Speaker 3:15 p.m.
    Hon. Majority Leader, do you want to contribute or you want to wind up?
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I believe a lot of the issues raised by my hon. Colleagues would definitely be taken on board by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and other Ministers when they do the 2007 Budget. I believe our Constitution expects that Supplementary Estimate should be fully considered as part of the following year's budget and therefore opportunity would still be available.

    Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure whether one can say that the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning would just come here and say that I am sharing money without giving some justification. This means we may need to look at our rules and get some format for the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to follow.

    For instance, I will imagine a situation that we treat such Supplementary Budget as we do with the District Assemblies Common Fund or with the HIPC Fund where the Committee of the Whole looks at it. If we take even more time, it will give us all the opportunity to look at all these details so that we do not come back to the floor only for us to say that only the Finance Committee got to know of it. So perhaps, the Leadership will look at it and advise you accordingly so that you can decide on the best way of doing it.

    Mr. Speaker, about the Golden Jubilee celebration, I believe that if we were being very mathematical, we should have been the last people to make mention of the figure. We in Parliament, as part of the CPA Conference are asking for ¢6
    Mr. J. Y. Chireh 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order; and the point of order is that the hon. Majority Leader is misleading the House. The concern that is being expressed is that the figures and the details have not been provided. Now, how they arrive at that figure would have been based on some basic information by the Committee; and this House does not need one more week; it should just be there. How did they add the figures; what activities are programmed?
    So for him to say that we should not be questioning it, is misleading the House and he should address the issues properly. If indeed, it is not security information that they are hiding, this information could be available even by today for everybody to see. Why should we approve something when we do not know what it is going to do? He should not continue to mislead us. Indeed, he must agree that he needs to provide the information and that would solve the problem.
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I think he did not hear my statement. I said some people were talking about the quantum of the amount and the quantum then means it is big. And I was trying to draw your attention to the fact that even if for this CPA conferene, we are talking about ¢6 billion, how does he compare this with a whole national programme which will involve all Regions, all Districts, the Judiciary and the Executive?
    As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, what I have done is that I have raised the issue with the Presidency and why we have now come together is that Parliament should be given a representation on the committee that is planning the anniversary. Therefore,
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 3:25 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I want to find out from the hon. Leader whether the ¢6 billion for CPA will all be provided by Ghana Government or CPA itself will contribute. And will their contribution be part of the ¢6 billion?
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:25 p.m.
    The infor- mation available to me is that this is the amount that we are asking Ghana Government to provide. That is all that I am talking about. But I am not saying -- maybe in my opinion, maybe the ¢6 billion may be too small but that is what we are getting. This is why I am leading to the conclusion that possibly it is not a question of the quantum. And I have said that because of the concerns raised, even before this, I had got the presidency to accept the fact that Parliament must have some representation on the planning committee so that not only are we talking about money but the role we are to play. Because we are not -- [Intrerrupton.]
    rose
    Mr. Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    Deputy Chief Whip, do
    you have a point of order?
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 3:25 p.m.
    On a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I think the Leader is not addressing the issues that we are concerned about; not the quantum per se.
    I heard the hon. Deputy Leader say that we might even need more than ¢182.9 billion or less and that is why we want to know the details. This figure was not conjured from anywhere; there is a source. Various committees brought their estimates and they were put together and
    given to the Finance Committee. For instance, this one there is an appendix to it and so they should have added an appendix about this celebration as well to the Report. That is the issue that we are addressing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. E. T. Mensah 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, as Vice Chairman of the NDC, I am saying that other parties -- it is a national celebration -- should also be represented in addition to MPs on the planning committee for the sake of transparency.
    Mr. Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    Deputy Minority Whip, maybe, this is not the forum to make that request.
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:25 p.m.
    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, whilst I can speak for Members of Parliament, I will allow their IPAC meeting to take such decisions. Therefore I want to thank every Member who spoke and endorsed the fact that we need to share this money so that we can make progress and hope that come the 2007 Budget which we have been assured will happen in November, we will have the opportunity to review a lot of the things that we are talking about today. I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
    Mr. Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, you may wish to wind up.
    Minister for Finance and Economic Planning (Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu) 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, we thank hon. Members for their contributions. I am also very happy about the content and quality of debate that has been going on.
    Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, I was very, very happy about the way the whole thing was received, whether it was procedural or anything of that nature. I think we went through the Constitution, the Standing Orders and the practical aspect of the whole thing. I believe we have given the highest respect to the House. We have given minimum amount of information and the contributions by hon. Members now, shows that we should even have given more.
    Even when you are writing an essay, Mr. Speaker, there is an introduction. When you are talking about estimates and so long as budgets are involved, you must review the preceding period. I think paragraph 8 so far in the Supplementary Estimates has given enough information. And I believe today's Hansard is going to be one of the best in the history of this House because Members have made a lot of contributions.
    Mr. Speaker, the issues that have been raised obviously would be tackled, and we assure the House of that. For example, table 5 of the Statement indicates the 381; it shows that we are using 200 million. In fact, the date 2007 should be changed to 2006. Of the other amounts, I think the slices have been indicated; whatever is with the Bank of Ghana, I think the indications have shown that it is at the disposal of the people of Ghana. Nothing has been hidden and I believe the contributions by hon. Members have been taken in good faith.
    On the 50 th anniversary, in my presentation, we said that a minimum amount of ¢182.9 billion is what has been proposed. The activities of the committee or of whatever institution is in charge cover all the other sectors. So obviously, at the end of the day, you can see that all the other sectors have actually benefited. It is just like the World Cup; we all benefited one way or the other.
    So Mr. Speaker, I thank hon. Members for the contributions and I believe that any responses that have to come from other sectors will be submitted. We thank you and hon. Members of the House for the approval of the supplementary estimates of four trillion, two hundred and eighty point three billion (¢4,280,300,-000,000). I thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Hear! Hear!] -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. Adjaho 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, the hon. Second Deputy Minority Whip raised an issue and then about the ¢181 million that was raised by the hon. Member for Upper West Akim. It is a constitutional issue; but the hon. Minister did not address them in his winding-up. We want him to address them so that we can -- the ¢181 million lying idle -- [Interruptions] -- and then the water project that was not done at Anfoega -- [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    Minority Leader, I was putting the Question. Let me put the Question.
    Question put and motion agreed to, viz:
    That this House approves the sum of ¢4,280,328,000,000.00 as Supplementary Estimates for the 2006 Financial Year.
    Mr. Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    Leadership, do you have any more work?
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I have had consultation with the leadership of the Committee on Mines and Energy;
    Mr. Speaker 3:25 p.m.
    Deputy Leader, I understand you have agreed on one -- [Interruptions.] Deputy Leader, who are you addressing? [Pause.] Majority Leader? Which one is ready, which one can we deal with?
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:25 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, I am told that they have got consensus on item 7. Therefore if we can take that one by possibly just voting on the matter. They have discussed it in detail and they are satisfied and therefore I think we can put the Question. [Interruptions.]
    Mr. Adjaho 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, you will agree that we have done very well today. We went to pay tribute to our departed Professor; we came back here and we have approved estimates well over ¢4 trillion for Government. I think that this is the appropriate time for us to take an adjournment. Those matters, we would take them tomorrow.
    Mr. Speaker 3:35 p.m.
    Majority Leader, what is the problem? Can we not take this tomorrow morning?
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, in fact, I was wondering whether he was going to say that there has not been that understanding. I have talked to the Chairperson; he is aware, the Chairperson and the Ranking -- [Interruptions.] Please, please, they have agreed that they do not have a problem with item 7 -- [Interruptions.] Please, I am talking about the Chairperson of the Committee
    and the Ranking Member of which the Deputy Minority Leader is aware. If he says he is aware -- [Interruptions.] Oh! please, please.
    Mr. Speaker 3:35 p.m.
    Order! Order!
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:35 p.m.
    If he says he is aware but perhaps will still want us to close, it is a different matter because I need my credibility established that he is aware that the leadership of the Committee has agreed to that. But if he thinks that whatever it is, he wants it done tomorrow, that is a different request. Therefore, I want him to confirm that he is aware that this is what we were told but the Chairperson and the Ranking -- that they have sorted out one and they have not sorted out the other one. That is what I want him to confirm before we move on.
    Mr. Adjaho 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons why I say we should take it tomorrow, for example, is that I went to the Committee -- I am a member of the Committee but I have to be here at the same time. So I thought I should get a word from the Ranking Member; unfortunately he is not here. There is no big difference between today and tomorrow. That was why I said that we have done a lot. But Mr. Speaker, all things are pointing to the fact that a certain level of consensus had been reached on this matter, but I want the Ranking Member to be here so that the vote is taken -- the Ranking Member, hon. Dr. Ampofo.
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, in fact, the information I was given by the Committee, if I may add more of which you are aware, was that while we take this one today, the other one would be taken on Tuesday. That was what I was told and the Deputy Ranking Member is available. All I wanted to be told is that, yes, this is the position. If he says it is not the position -- [Interruption.]
    Mr. Speaker 3:35 p.m.
    Hon. Majority Leader, my observation is that there is a consensus but he would want this matter to be taken tomorrow morning; that is it. That is all that he is saying.
    Mr. Owusu-Adjapong 3:35 p.m.
    Now, if he accepts that then it means tomorrow when we come we are only putting -- so what we are saying is that tomorrow we will come and put the Question; there is no problem. I agree to that, Mr. Speaker.
    rose
    Mr. Speaker 3:35 p.m.
    Hon. Member for Lawra- Nandom, do you want to contribute?
    Dr. Kunbuor 3:35 p.m.
    Mr. Speaker, just for the purposes of the record, this matter, the Question, is going to be put before the House and not before the Chairman and the Ranking Member or the Committee, for that matter, therefore, the Ranking Member/Chairman and the Committee might have reached a position but that does not prevent the House from actually going into the merits of this matter. So I do not want it to ever be as part of the practice of this House that where the Ranking Member, Chairman and the Committee agree, no matter can be discussed in this House.
    Mr. Speaker 3:35 p.m.
    You have a point but in any case this matter is going to be adjourned until tomorrow morning.
    Hon. Members, thank you very much for your assistance. This House is adjourned until tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
    ADJOURNMENT 3:35 p.m.
  • The House was adjourned at 3.45 p.m. till 21st July, 2006 at 10.00 a.m.